Any woman actively trying to conceive or who plans to start a family later on, can often relate to fussing over things that can impact her fertility. One of the biggest concerns for women now is getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The big question women have been asking is can the vaccine affect their fertility?
A valid question, and the simple answer right now is that no one knows this definitively as there is not enough data to support any conclusive evidence. However, the scientific and medical communities are learning about the vaccine as we go along.
According to the CDC, a recent report of 4800 patients who had received the Pfizer vaccine ended up with positive pregnancy tests. Some studies also indicated that women fell pregnant during the clinical trials of the vaccine.
Preliminary studies of women who had received mRNA vaccines (i.e., Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) found that in the two groups of women, those who had received a vaccine and those who did not, the pregnancy results were the same. Another study also indicated that women who had received the vaccine at 20 weeks did not show any heightened risks of miscarriage.
What could be the origin of the misinformation and confusion around the vaccine and fertility? In an article on the List, Dr Kaylen Silverberg, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and co-founder for Texas Fertility Center, indicated that the confusion could have originated: “From social media posts. Some posts have proposed a link between the spike protein of coronavirus and one or more proteins that are critical for binding of the placenta to the uterine lining.” However, scientists have found no such link thus far.
Wherever you find yourself in your fertility journey or just as a woman in general concerned about your overall reproductive health, it is always best to consult with a healthcare professional to get the best advice and recommendation related to you and your medical history.
The CDC recommends pregnant women to get vaccinated for COVID-19, as different parts of a women’s immune system are suppressed while others are enhanced during pregnancy. Therefore it is best to ensure that the women and baby are protected as best as possible. There is plenty of information regarding the vaccine, fertility, and pregnancy; make sure you take it from credible sources with scientific studies to back up the data.
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